Folding chair and bed



F. BLANDG,

FOLDING CHAIR AND RED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1321.

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F. BLAND'Qs FOLDING CHAIR AND BED}. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1-921;

L V 0% n w A w w, M 4 w 18 m n V 4 F. BLANDO. rowms CHAIR AND BED. APPLICATION FILED FEB-23, 192l- Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

4'SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F.BLANDO. FOLDING CHAIR AND BED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. I921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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, form a bed, cot or lounge.

UNITED STATES FRANK BLANDO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING CHAIR AND BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

Application flied February 23, 1921. Serial No. 447,180.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK BLANDO a citizen of the United States, residing at ew York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imp'rovements in Folding Chairs and Beds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to folding chairs and beds and has for one of its objects to provide folding or collapsible furniture of this kind which may be easily reduced to compact form adapted to be carried like a suit case.

Another object is to provide a folding chair with a hinged back provided with im proved adjustable supporting means 'of very simple construction, whereby said back may be retained at different inclinations with respect to the seat of the chair. The invention also contemplates the pro ision of a foot rest adapted to be folded upon the seat when not in use and provided with improved and simplified supports for holding it at different angles when extended in front of the seat. Said foot-rest and back are adapted to be supported in the plane of the seat to The back, seat and foot-rest are preferably made in the form of skeleton frames covered with canvas, or other suitable fabric, and a pillow is designed to be placed between the fabrics of the seat and foot-rest when the latter isfolded upon said seat, so that said pillow will constitute a cushion in the seat whenthe foot-rest is not in use. When the footnest is extended to form a bed or lounge, the pillow may be used as a head rest.

A further object is to provide improved and simplified means for retaining the footrest in folded position. Another object is to simplify the construction of the legs and provide improved means for bracing and locking them in extended position. Still another object is to provide a fabric covering for the chair when folded for transportation, said covering being adapted to be rolled up and supported on the back where it is out of the way when the chair is in use. The invention also contemplates the provision of improved means for fastening or securing all of the parts of the chair in folded position within the covering.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanymg drawings, which constitute part of this specification, and then more specifically defined in the claims at the end of the description.

TI 1 the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:-

-Figure l is a perspective view of the device arranged asa chair, the foot-rest being folded upon the seat with the pillow between them as a cushion.

Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of one of the hinges by which the back is secured,

to the seat, showing more clearly the catch mounted on said hinge for retaining the foot-rest in folded position.

Fig. '3 is a broken side view of said hinge with its associated parts of the chair.

F 1g. 4 IS a side View of the chair with the foot-rest extended and the back lowered to form a bed or lounge.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the chair as shown in Fig. 1-with the back broken away.

Fig. 6 is a detailed-view of the supports for the foot-rest showing how they are hinged to a'transverse rod extending across the front end portion of the frame of. said. foot-rest. s

Fig. 7 is a transversesection through the folded chair, taken on the line VIIVIT of Fig. 10. r

Fig. 8 is a detailed section taken longitu' dinally of one of the side members of the frame of the foot-rest, showing more clearly how the support is concealed in a slot therein when not in use.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the chair as it appears when folded, enveloped by its covering and ready for transportation.

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the chair folded with the covering removed.

Fig. 11 is a detailed View of the key-slotted buckle for securing the end of the binding strap to the outer end of the back when the chair is folded.

Fig. 12 is a detailed section of the end 'of the folded chair to which said buckle is attached.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the folded chair with the covering removed.

-Fig. 14 is a detailed vertical section of the outer end portion of the back showing one adjustment of its supports.

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal section of one of the telescopic supports for the back, the same being indicated in collapsed position.

Fig. 16is a. similar view of one of the telescopic supports for the foot-rest, showing the same partially extended, and

' Fig. 17 is a broken longitudinal section of one of said supports for the back, this section bein taken at right angles to that shown in 4 ig. 15 and showing the pin and slot connection between the telescopic members which prevents one member from turningr in the other.

which, like the legs and frame members of the chair, may be made of any suitable material. As shown, the upper cross pieces 5, as well as the legs and frame members of the chair, are made of wood, while the lower cross pieces 6 are made of steel, in order to reduce the Weight'of the chair to a mini-' mum.

The connected pairs of legs are retained in extended position by a longitudinal brace 7 having notches 8 in its ends to embrace the up er cross pieces 5. These notches are prefera 1y formed by resilient metal tongues 9 extending substantially parallel to the ends of the brace 7, said tongues being designed to frictionally engage the cross pieces 5 and having outwardly turned ends 10, Fig. 10, to guide them over saidcross pieces, the latter being preferably provided with grooves 11 to be engaged by the ton ues 9 for properly positioning the brace w en engaged with the cross pieces. Said brace is supported by an arm 12 hinged at one end to .the middle portion of said brace at 13, and at the other end to the middle portion of one of the side bars l of the seat at 14.

When the legs are to be folded, as shown in Fig. 10, the brace 7 is disengaged from i the cross pieces 5 of said legs and folded flat against the bottom of the seat and the connected pairs of legs then folded below the same so as to lie flat against the side bars 1 of the seat, grooves 15 being formed in said cross pieces 5 to-receive the brace. The legs of one pairare notched at 16, Figs. 1 and 4,

to overlap those of the other pair when folded, and guidinglugs l7 depend from the side bars 1 of the seat to engage the inner edges of the legs and hold them in proper alinement when in folded position. The steel 'cross pieces 6 for the legs fold upon one another and a pivoted latch 18 carried by the arm '12 is designed to engage said cross pieces 6,-as shown in Fig. 10, for-fastening the legs in folded position.

A head member of similar dimensions as theseat and having side bars 19 is hinged to one end of said seat by means of hinges 20, shown in detail in Fig. 2, and connected to the side bars 1 of the seat and side bars 19 of I the head member. A foot-rest, also of substantially the same dimensions as the seat, is hinged to the other end of the latter, as at 21, said foot-rest having side bars 22 to which the hinges 21 are fastened. As shown in Fig. 1, the foot-rest is adapted to fold flat upon the seat-.. The leaf of each of the hinges 20, which is connected to the seat, is extended, as at 23in Fig. 1, to reach to the level of the upper surface of said foot-rest, when folded, so that the back may fold down flat upon the foot-rest when the chair is knocked down into compact form for transportation. At the free end of the head a transverse frame member 24 connects the side bars 19, and the free ends of the side bars 22 of the foot-rest are similarly connected by a cross bar 25. Over the frames of the back and foot-rest thus formed and the seat frame formed by the side bars 1; canvas or other suitable material is stretched, said canvas being preferably ma-de in a continuous strip extending the full length of the back frame, as at 26, thence over the full length of the seat, as at 27, and finally over the full length of'the foot-rest frame, as at 28, being fastened at one end'to the cross bar 24 of the head, and at the other end to the cross bar 25 of the footrest. A pillow 29 is preferably placed between the canvas on the seat and foot-rest frames when the latter is folded upon the former, as shown in-Figs. 1 and-7, to form a seat cushion. When the foot-rest is extended and the head member lowered to form a bed or lounge, as shown in Fig. 4, said pillow may be used as a head-rest.

The extended portion 23 of each of the hinges 20 carries a catch 30 adapted to engage a projecting pin 31 on the end of the corresponding side bar 22 of the foot-rest frame when'the latter is folded, for locking said frame in folded position. The interlocking engagement of the catch 30 and pin 31 is best shown in Fig. 3. It will be understood that there is sufficient resiliency in the extended portion 23 of each of the hinges 20 to permit the pin 31 to be snapped into and out of engagement with the catch30.

The head frame is adapted to be supported at different angles by a pair of telescopic supports 32 rigidly connected together by cross pieces 33' and pivotally connected to the inner faces of the side bars 19 by bolts or nails 34, as shown in Fig. 13. Brackets 35 are preferably provided to overlap the pivoted ends of the sup-ports 32, and the pivot bolts or nails 34 are passed through said braokets, as well as the ends of the supports, and engaged with the side bars 19. From the outer face of each of the supports a headed lug'36projects for engagement with any one of a series of notches 37 in a coiiperating brace 38, which 1s plvoted at 39 to the adjacent side bar 19 and is adapted to fold into the plane of said bar and lie between the same and its su port 32 when the latter is folded. Each of said braces 38 is preferably provided with a flange 40 to overlap the corresponding side bar 19, as best shown in Fig. 13, so as to properly position the same when folded. A sliding cross bar 41 has its end portions guided in loops 42 on the supports 32, and are yieldingly held in contact with the braces 38 by springs 43, also shown in Fig. 13'. When the supports are in use, said cross bar 41 serves to retain the braces 38 with their selected notches in engagement with the lugs 36 against accidental displacement. When it is desired to alter the adj ustment of the supports 32, and engage their lugs 36 in other notches of the braces 38, the cross bars 41 may be easily moved away from said braces and against the tension of the springs 43. When the supports are folded into the plane of the back frame, the lugs 36 are housed in notches 44, Fig. 14, in the side bars 19.

As shown in Fig. 15, each of the supports 32 comprises inner and outer telescopic members 45 and 46, both being preferably of tubular form. The inner member 45 is fitted with a foot-piece 47 secured thereto in any suitable manner. In the upper end of said inner member 45 a latch 48 is hin ed on a pin 49, one end of which protrudes rom said member 45 into a longitudinal slot 50 in the outer member 46, see Fig. 17, whereby the telescopic members are prevented from turning one within the other. The latch 48 is adapted to be projected through a slot 51 m the inner member 45 by a spring 52, and the outer member 46 is provided with a plurality of slots 53 at intervals throughout its length in alinement with the latch 48 so that when said inner member is projected from the outer member, the former may be locked at any desired oint where the latch 48 engages a slot 53. n this way, the lengths of the supports 32 may be varied to adjust the back member at different angles with respect to the seat of the chair.

Telescopic supports 54 are provided for supporting the free end of the foot-rest when in extended position, as shown in Fig. 4. Said supports 54 are pivotally connected to the foot-rest by a rod or shaft 55 which e tends entirely across the frame, as shown in Fig. 6. When folded, the supports 54 are housed in slots or pockets 56 in the side bars 22 of the foot-rest frame, as best shown in Figs. 1, 7 and. 8. When said supports are extended they engage the ends of the slots 56 and are retained thereby at a proper angle for su porting the foot-rest. In folded position, t e free ends of said supports rest upon ledges 57 in the slots 56, see Fig. 8.

Each of the supports 54 consists of inner and an outer telescopic members 58 and 59, respectively, and is constructed similarly to the sup orts 32 for the back member of the chair, t e outer telescopic member 54 having a plurality of slots 60 to be engaged by a latch 61 carried by the inner member 58 and pivoted on a pin 62 corresponding to the pin 49 of the inner member 45 of said support 32. There need not be as many slots 60 in the outer members of the support 54 as there are slots 53 in the outer member of the su ports 32 because fewer adjustments of t e foot-rest are required than of the head member. At the same time, it will be understood that the number of adjustments of either of said supports may be varied, if desired.

When the chair is folded, asshown in Figs. 7 and 10, it may be fastened by a strap 63 which is permanently attached at one end to the lower cross piece 33 connecting the supports 32, as at 64 in Fig. 13. The free end of said strap carries a buckle 65, as best shown in Figs. 11 and 12, for enagement with a headed lug 66 projecting rom the end bar 24 of the back frame. Said buckle 65 is referably made of sheet metal and has a reiient inner portion 67 in which a key slot 68 is formed, said key slot being adapted to interlock with the lug 66, as

shown in Fig. 12. It will be noted that the body portion of the .buckle overlaps and conceals the key-slotted inner portion 67 when engaged with said lug-66, so that the buckle is not apt to become accidentally disloo engaged from the lu As it will be seen by a comparison of igs. 10 and 13, taken with Fig. 12, the strap 63 passes from one end of the back frame longitudinally over the folded footrest and seat frames, with the legs folded upon the latter, and is secured to the other end of said back frame, thus binding all of the frames securely to-, gether. Inasmuch as the strap is fastened to the lower cross bar 33 of the supports 32, it

also binds said supports in folded position. A cover strip 69 of canvas, or other suitable material, issecured at one end to the end bar 24 of the back frame and is of sufficient length to entirely envelop the folded chair, as shown in Fig. 9. The end of the cover strip, which is secured to the end bar 24 at 70, Fig. 12, has a loose marginal portion 71 reinforced by a transverse metal strip 72 and carrying snap fasteners 73 126 adapted to engage supplemental snap fasteners on the other end of said cover strip for retaining said strip in enveloping position, as shown in Fig. 9. When the chair is in use, the cover strip 69 may be rolled u and snap fasteners 73 on the stifiened end'poran arm hinged to the chair and to said brace for supporting the latter and permitting it to be folded flatupon the chair when disengaged from said cross pieces, said legs. being adapted to fold upon one another over said brace, and a latch mounted on said arm to engage over a cross piece extending between the folded outer pair of legs for retaining both pairs in folded position.

2. In a folding chair, the combination with hinged legs, of cross pieces connecting said legs together in pairs, a rigid brace having resilient tongues spaced from its ends,'forming notches for frictionally engaging said cross pieces to retain the legs in extended position, said bra'ce and legs adapted to'be folded upon the chair when the brace is disenga ed from the crosswpieces.

3. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat, of a back hinged thereto, a pair of supports hinged to the-back for supporting the same when extended, lugs projecting from said supports, notched braces pivoted to theback and adapted to engage said lugs on the supports for retaining the latter at different angles with respect to the back, and resilient means carried by said supports for swinging said notched braces on their pivots to press them into engagement with said lugs.

4. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat, of a back hinged thereto, a pair of supports hinged to the back for supporting the same when extended, lugs projecting from said supports, notched braces pivoted to the back and adapted to engage said lugs on the supports for retaining the latter at different angles with respect to the back, a

slide carried by said supports and projecting therefrom into engagement with said notched braces, and yielding means for pressing said slide againstsaid braces for retaining them in engagement with said lugs. v

. 5. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat, of a back hinged thereto, a pair of supports pivoted to the back and connected together to swing in 'unison, lugs projecting from said supports, notched braces pivoted to the back and adapted to on age said lugs for holding the supports at di erent angles with respect to the back, a bar extending across both supports and having its end portions arranged to engage said braces, loops on tion or flap 71 when the latter is folded back,

said supports for guiding said bar, and yielding means for pressing the bar into contact with said braces to retain them in engagement with said lugs. i

6. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat, of a back hinged thereto, supports for the back hinged thereto and adapted to fold into the plane thereof, lugs projecting from said supports, and notched braces pivoted to the back and adapted to engage said lugs for retaining the supports at different angles with respect to the back, said braces being; also adapted to fold into the plane of the back and having flanges to overlap the back for the purpose specified.

7. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat, legs and back adapted to be folded upon each other, of a flexible cover strip permanently secured at one end to one of said partsand adapted to envelop all of said folded parts or to be rolled up into compact form when the chair is in use, means for detachably fastening said cover strip when used to envelop the folding chair, and means for detachably fastening said cover strip when rolled up.

8. In a folding chair, the combination With a seat, legs and back adapted to fold upon each other, of a cover strip having one end only thereof permanently secured to one of said parts of the chair, said strip being otherwise free from the chair and adapted to be formed into a roll at the point of permanent attachment to the chair, a flap at the extremity of said permanently secured end of the strip, and separable fastening means on said flap and on the free end of said cover strip for detachable fastening the latter in unrolled position so as to envelop the folded parts of the chair, and fastening means on the cover strip to coeperate with the fastening means on said flap for retaining said strip in rolled up position.

9. In a folding chair, the combination with folding parts, of a strap secured at one end to one of said folding parts and adapted to be passed around the other folding parts, and means for detachably fastening the free end of the strap to one of the folding parts for securing all the parts in folded position.

10. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat, legs and back adapted to be folded upon each other, of a support for the back adapted to be folded thereon, and a strap fastened at one end to said support and adapted to be passed around the folded legs and seat, and means for detachably fastening the free end of the strap to the back for securing said parts in folded position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK BLANDO. 

